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# e05: Taking the power back
- URL: https://mehrankhalili.com/e05/
- Published: 2022-09-13T08:51:56.000Z
- Updated: 2023-05-23T11:39:32.000Z
- Description: An interview with Chris Smalls, the leader of the first successful union drive in Amazon's history. From May 2020, and very relevant today.
- Author: Mehran Khalili
- Tags: Subvrt Podcast, Case Studies, #Import 2023-05-10 22:28, #mkhalili

## An interview with Chris Smalls

Taking the power back, with Chris Smalls (Episode 5)

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Chris Smalls is known today as the man who took on Amazon and won. He's the leader of [the first successful union drive](https://www.amazonlaborunion.org/) in Amazon's history.

He's inspired workers the world over. He's campaigned with Bernie Sanders. Time Magazine asks: "[Is Chris Smalls the future of labor](https://time.com/6169185/chris-smalls-amazon-labor-union/)?"

But back when I spoke to him for this interview in May 2020, in a live show for the political movement [DiEM25](https://diem25.org), Chris was the ex-Amazon employee who exposed the corporations unsafe practices on COVID. He was just starting to organize against the company. 

This interview is especially interesting given Chris's meteoric rise since it was recorded. It offers a look inside the mind of a real David to a corporate Goliath, someone who took on a problem and flipped it into an opportunity.

I hope you'll enjoy it.

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